194 "Lets Drink To Ignorance!" (1/2)

”Welcome, welcome!” Shouted a Goblin in the middle of the arena.

Star, the best presenter in the Colosseum.

Of all the presenters in the arena, Star was the one the people acclaimed the most, but also the one that was seen the least. Usually he only hosted important events, such as the matches of the undisputed champion of the Colosseum, Pseudonym, and did not care for minor shows.

However, this time the conflict seemed promising: a fight for revenge had great potential. If he were entertaining enough, Star would have led many more spectators than usual to watch the fight and bet; this meant receiving a considerable profit by the end of the clash, both for him and for the arena.

The occasion presented itself as quite singular, above all because Cesar, Aure and all the bigwigs of Orma had appeared in their stands to watch the fight. How could he let such an opportunity escape?

Star ran a hand through his electric-blond hair and raised his index finger to the sky.

”ORMAAAAAAAA, ARE YOU READYYYYYYYYYYY?”

As the news continued, a face framed by silver hair peeked out from a gate leading to the internal galleries of the Colosseum.

”Where are the others?” Murmured that figure, wrapped in a snow-white coat.

”Who the fuck is that buffoon?” Suddenly asked an impertinent voice from behind the girl's shoulders.

Raising one hand, without turning her head, the figure in white stroked the other's fur. She felt something irregular under her fingertips and frowned.

Suddenly she turned her head.

Snowflake's fur was crisscrossed with scars and wounds, still bloody. The once white coat was now a disaster. From the creature's laboured breathing, it was easy to understand that many of those wounds were still healing.

”Wilder and wilder, eh?” Laughed Lumia.

”I look more like a Supreme Wild Cat now. However, all these wounds are not random, it's all studied: I have imposed myself a handicap to give others a fighting chance against the magnificence of this cat. Of course, of course, to get all the way down to the lever those retarded had I would have to cut my whiskers, maybe a paw or tw... ”

Lumia rolled her eyes, but inside her heart she could not hide a certain happiness, seeing that Snowflake was safe and sound and had not changed at all. The training they all underwent this time was not something human. Lumia had feared more than once that some of them may not survive.

She herself had repeatedly risked dying, killed by Iblis. Although, a couple of times, the girl had sensed he was somehow distracted, as if the Devil's mind was occupied with something else, and had managed to get him in a tight corner.

Despite the risks, it seemed that the training had paid off: Snowflake's Aura, despite his injuries, was incredibly dense. He had reached the Second Phase.

The cat looked at the girl and cursed: ”How the fuck did you reach the Late stage of the Second Phase? Did you also stabilize the shit out of your Mana?”

Looking more closely at his muzzle, Lumia realized that Snowflake had a large scar going from the eyebrow to under his right eye, and it made him look fierce. Despite his frightening appearance, Snowflake felt at a disadvantage with that terrifying little girl.

Lumia had reached the Late Stage of the Second Phase! And he had barely managed to conquer the Second Phase while training his Skills.

Maybe the girl hadn't trained her Skills much or stabilized her Mana, in order to advance in Level and Phase as fast as possible. Still, Lumia's abundant and dense Aura left no doubt about her strength.

How fucking old was she? Ten? And had she made all this progress?

”For the love of lasagna,” murmured Snowflake.

”Can I see if your back is still comfortable or do you need a saddle now?” Lumia laughed, moving a silver lock behind her shoulders.